With the many ups and downs experienced, along with the potential heat that this band may have stirred up way back in the hellish days of Myspace, Toronto, Canada's heavy-hitting straight edge torchbearers, Liferuiner, have recently established themselves again within the last couple of years; providing listeners with a blissfully progressive sound from their last release, Sons Of Straight Edge. While relentlessly staying true to their ethos as a credible straight edge band in the scene, we saw dramatic changes within their dynamic musicianship from this release. Digressing from the endless breakdown/2-step pattern that most metalcore and some hardcore acts tend to route with the direction of their sound, SOSE was more of a melodic release that implemented uplifting and inspiring messages into their songs to encourage their devoted fans to live for today and make the best of their time in this world. Approaching the early months of summer, Liferuiner continues to go above and beyond with their progressing sound with the release of their upcoming follow-up, titled Future Revisionists. Not only does this album still remain true to their hardcore influence, but also strives forward with their newly-championed passionate and melodic sound.
Originally releasing this single as a music video, the opening track, "Vacant", is a solemn introduction that provides listeners with a taste of what to expect from this release; reflecting back on their melodic transition from SOSE. With its blissful and piercing tone, "Vacant" is a song that definitely draws the listener in with the dreary and haunting lines heartily screamed out by vocalist Johnny O'Callaghan, "The thought of you will keep me warm at night/ the idea won't fill my bed, but everything you said has filled my head with hope", that will pierce right through the soul of any broken heart.
Alternating between their progressive and melodic sound, there are many tracks that stand alone on this release that still uphold to their heavier hardcore roots. "Savages", for example, is a track that proves to hold true to influence of their straight edge mindset. Powerful lines like, "When you inhale your poison/I hope you know it's a substance you choose over your life", address the concerns of struggling to watch friends slip away from reality through the use of harmful substances. Other songs like "C.O.P.E.", "Despair", and "Waivered Lives" are tracks, quite similar to "Savages", which also musically lean towards a heavier sound that is well recognized from Liferuiner's progressive dynamics.
While Liferuiner continues to reiterate their traditional melodic metalcore sound into certain aspects of this release, what is extremely breath-taking about many songs on Future Revisionists is the band's alternating dynamic to maintain an equal balance of their heavy-hitting style to compliment well with their captivate melodic sound. These attributes can be distinctly found in songs like "Fissure" and "Harvest/Famine", which embrace overwhelming feelings of loneliness and the struggle to search for acceptance. By creating an explosive musical entity to help some to vent out any overbearing emotions that weigh down many, these particular songs could help provide listeners with a relatable sense of comfort and solace. Finally, crafting together distinct elements of their sound the last two tracks of this album, "Dreamcatcher" and "Self-Purgatory" address the ideals of maintaining self-worth through personal growth. By combining blissful melodic interludes, which compliment with heavy-hitting chords, musically, these final tracks bring it home by summarizing a genuinely heartfelt and chaotic theme that has been reflected through their progressive and matured sound.
Progressive, melodic, and still staying true to their traditional straight edge hardcore influence after all of these years, Liferuiner crafted together a blissfully-explosive release from their full-length, Future Revisionists. By picking up right where they left off from their last release, Sons Of Straight Edge, this follow-up definitely goes in full circle with the potential a band can achieve; to not only establish a newly distinct and melodic sound, but to also stick true to their roots as well.
Tracklist:
1. Vacant
2. Waivered Lives
3. Savages
4. Feeling/Meaning
5. C.O.P.E.
6. Fissure
7. Harvest/Famine
8. Despair
09. Dreamcatcher
10. Self-Purgatory
RIYL: Let Go by Hundredth, The Inspiration by It Prevails, Get What You Give by The Ghost Inside
Rating:
Written by Ryan McGrath
